Dave Read

The 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival will comprise five concerts scheduled to take place August 29, 30, and 31 in Ozawa Hall on the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood campus in Lenox and Stockbridge, MA.

Colombian harpist Edmar Castaneda will be opening the festival Friday, August 29, at 8 p.m. with his trio featuring vibraphonist, Joe Locke. Pianist Eliane Elias will follow performing material from her highly acclaimed CD, “Something For You,” a tribute to Bill Evans. This is a return visit for Ms. Elias; at the 2004 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, she played several compositions of Antonio Carlos (“Tom”) Jobim, for whom Ms. Elias was once musical director.

Friday, August 29, 8 p.m.
The Edmar Castaneda Trio with Special Guest, Joe Locke
Eliane Elias “Something For You” A Tribute to Bill Evans
$41/$48/$59/lawn $17

Marian McPartland returns to Tanglewood Jazz Festival

Marian McPartland celebrates her 90th birthday in a live taping of “Piano Jazz” for NPR at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 30. This marks the seventh consecutive year Ms. McPartland has been on the Tanglewood Jazz Festival schedule. Several very special guests for this performance will be announced at a later date.

Saturday, August 30, 2 p.m.
A Celebration of Marian McPartland’s 90th Birthday
Live taping for NPR’s “Piano Jazz with special guests TBA
$31/$38/$49/lawn $18

Pianist and composer Donal Fox will make a return visit to Tanglewood at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 30. Mr. Fox, who presented a tribute to the Modern Jazz Quartet during the 2003 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, will perform his Scarlatti Jazz Suite Project with special guest, trumpeter, Christian Scott. Renowned vocalist Dianne Reeves takes the stage in the second half of the concert.

Saturday, August 30, 8 p.m.
Donal Fox: Scarlatti Jazz Suite Project featuring Christian Scott
Dianne Reeves
$44/$57/$70/lawn $19

Grammy winner Terrence Blanchard to close Tanglewood Jazz Festival

Clarinetist and saxophonist Eddie Daniels and his quartet will perform the 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon concert on August 31.

Sunday, August 31, 2 p.m.
The Eddie Daniels Quartet
Mark O’Connor’s “Hot Swing” with special guest Jane Monheit
$31/$38/$49/lawn $18
The concert continues with violinist, Mark O’Connor, with special guest jazz vocalist Jane Monheit in her Tanglewood Jazz Festival debut in a show titled “Hot Swing.”

The festival finale, at 8 p.m. Sunday, August 31, will be an exclusive performance by trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, with a 30-piece orchestra performing the material from this year’s Grammy winning CD, “A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina).”

Sunday, August 31, 8 p.m.
Terence Blanchard’s “A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina)”
with 30 piece orchestra
$44/$48/$59/lawn $17

Tanglewood Jazz Festival tickets

Tickets for the 2008 Tanglewood season go on sale Sunday, February 17, and are available by calling SymphonyCharge at 888-266-1200 or online at tanglewood.org and in person at the Symphony Hall Box Office.

The Tanglewood Box Office in Lenox opens June 13. For further information, please call the Boston Symphony Orchestra at 617-266-1492 or visit our website at tanglewoodjazzfestival.org.

Jacob Pillow’s 2008 season schedule has a decidedly international flavor with dance companies from England, Japan, and dancers from Mali, Benin, Nigeria, and Senegal on the roster at one of the Berkshires’ favorite summer performance venue in Becket, MA.

Dance companies performing during the 2008 season at Jacob’s Pillow will include:

• Aspen Santa Fe Ballet;
• Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet;
• Ballet Boyz;
• Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company;
• Compagnie Heddy Maalem;
• Conny Janssen Danst;
• David Michalek’s Slow Dancing;
• Garth Fagan Dance;
• Hofesh Shechter Company;
• Kate Weare Company;
• Keigwin + Company;
• Ko & Edge Company;
• Lar Lubovitch Dance Company;
• Maureen Fleming;
• Mimulus; Natural Dance Theatre;
• Shantala Shivalingappa;
• Stockholm 59° North;
• T.P.O. (Teatro d’Piazza d’Occasione);
• and Trey McIntyre Project.

Ella Baff, Jacob’s Pillow Executive Director, had this to say about the 2008 Jacob’s Pillow schedule, “This season is an intensely colorful kaleidoscope of extraordinary artists and dance forms from ancient classical traditions to state of the art visual media and technology. The Pillow’s additional offerings such as talks with artists, community classes, exhibits, film showings, and the ability to watch dancers take class are all meant to engage people with the art and deliver a creative experience for everyone both on stage and off.”

Inside/Out Stage at Jacob’s Pillow

Approximately twenty more companies performing on the Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Stage (Inside/Out performances are free and open to the public) will be announced at a later date, along with additional free events, exhibits, talks, and classes.

The 2008 season runs June 14 through August 24, and features more than 100 ticketed events and 200 free events, including performances on three stages, moderated interviews with artists, talks by experts, film showings, exhibits, receptions, tours, and over 75 community dance classes and master classes. This year Jacob’s Pillow presents 20 companies from four continents and nine countries, including a company world debut, two United States company debuts, and at least three world premieres and eight American premieres.

Five of the programs are performed to live music, and five engagements offer special “Pillow Exclusive” programs which will not be performed anywhere else. The visual arts are a motif of this year’s Festival: elements of film, set design by visual artists, and latest in visual technology appear throughout the season.

2008 Season Opening Gala at Jacob’s Pillow

The season kicks off with a gala on Saturday, June 14, featuring Garth Fagan Dance, which opens the season a few days after the gala, as well as an exclusive solo appearance by eminent choreographer and dancer Bill T. Jones. Additionally, Ballet Austin Artistic Director Stephen Mills presents a world premiere performed by the dancers of the Ballet Program of The School at Jacob’s Pillow, and a special montage of film clips from the Pillow Archives will be screened.

The evening includes cocktails, dinner, a live auction, and dancing to live music on the Pillow’s Great Lawn. Additional performers and personalities to be announced. Call 413.243.9919 ext. 24 for more information and to purchase tickets.

Garth Fagan Dance at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, June 18 – 22

Garth Fagan Dance returns to Jacob’s Pillow with Griot New York, an eight-part evening-length work rarely seen in its entirety. With music composed by jazz legend Wynton Marsalis and sets by noted sculptor Martin Puryear, Griot New York is often cited as choreographer Garth Fagan’s greatest creation. The term “griot” refers to honored West African storytellers, poets, or musicians, and this work explores contemporary urban life as well as human anguish, exaltation, and triumph. Jamaican-born Fagan, widely known for his Tony Award-winning choreography for Broadway’s The Lion King, marries African, Caribbean, modern, and ballet movement in a dance language that is recognizably unique. (This program includes brief partial nudity.)

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, June 19, artistic personnel from Garth Fagan Dance participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.

Compagnie Heddy Maalem, June 25 – 29, France/Africa, Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob’s Pillow

Choreographer Heddy Maalem’s precise yet unrestrained movement style delivers a new and contemporary interpretation of Stravinsky’s timeless score, The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps). Created for fourteen dancers from the African continent, including Mali, Benin, Nigeria, and Senegal, with striking imagery from award-winning French filmmaker Benoit Dervaux, Maalem’s contemporary take on this classic re-imagines the danger and celebration of nature’s rebirth.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.

* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, June 26, artistic personnel from Compagnie Heddy Maalem will participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, June 26 – 29 and July 3 – 6

Tony Award-winning Bill T. Jones presents Chapel/Chapter, an exploration of society’s negotiation with the news of the world and everyday life. This acclaimed production, which won a 2007 Bessie Award, is performed in-the-round, as it was originally conceived, transporting the audience into an intimate and affecting theatrical experience. This unusual two-week engagement features a live ensemble of two classically trained singers, a cellist, and a “voicestrumentalist,” with a score composed and arranged by Daniel Bernard Roumain, Christopher Antonio William Lancaster, Alicia Hall Moran, and Lawrence “Lipbone” Redding. (This program includes adult content.)

* Tickets are $45; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on the Doris Duke Studio Theatre Porch 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Friday, June 27 and Friday, July 4, artistic personnel from Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.billtjones.org.

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, July 2 – 6

The great American contemporary dancemaker Lar Lubovitch celebrates his company’s 40th anniversary with a special program that includes Concerto 622, Little Rhapsodies, and Dvorak Serenade. The company has significant history at the Pillow, having been championed in 1971 by Pillow founder Ted Shawn himself and since then appearing here in 1980, 1981, 1991, and 2004. Rasta Thomas, formerly of the Kirov Ballet, Twyla Tharp’s Movin’ Out on Broadway, and known for launching the Bad Boys of Dance last season at the Pillow, performs with the company.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts. $10 Youth matinée tickets.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, July 3, artistic personnel from Lar Lubovitch Dance Company will participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.lubovitch.org.

Hofesh Shechter Company at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, July 9 – 13

Jacob’s Pillow presents Israeli-born Hofesh Shechter, one of London’s most dynamic young contemporary choreographers, in his company’s U.S. debut with Uprising, a work that addresses themes of power and rebellion, and In your rooms, a recent new work co-produced by prestigious London venues The Place, South Bank Centre, and Sadler’s Wells. These two energy-charged dances connect with audiences with their dramatic and physical intensity. Called “the most important new dance work to be created in Britain since the millennium” by The Observer, In your rooms features an original music score composed by Shechter himself, performed live.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, July 10, Hofesh Shechter Company artistic personnel participate in a Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.hofesh.co.uk.

Natural Dance Theatre and Ko & Edge Company at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, July 10 – 13

The range, diversity and inventiveness of Japanese contemporary dance-theatre is celebrated in this double bill program. First, Natural Dance Theatre makes its U.S. debut with Alice, transporting audiences to a strange and humorous wonderland, and exploring the differences between imagination and reality. Then, choreographer Ko Murobushi, one of the most prominent names in Japan’s iconoclastic Butoh art form, presents Ko & Edge Company in the U.S. premiere of Dead 1, a journey into the strange, intense, and beautiful world of Butoh. (This program includes partial nudity.)

* Tickets are $29; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on the Doris Duke Studio Theatre Porch 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Friday, July 11, artistic personnel from Natural Dance Theatre and Ko & Edge Company will participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org.

Ballet Boyz at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, July 16 – 20

Former stars of The Royal Ballet, Ballet Boyz founders Michael Nunn and William Trevitt have swiftly established themselves as leaders in innovative contemporary dance. They come to the Pillow with a cast of both male and female dancers and a diverse repertory showcasing some of today’s most adventurous European choreographers including three U.S. premieres; award-winning Russell Maliphant’s Broken Fall, Raphael Bonachela’s Amox, and Craig Revel Horwood’s Yumba vs Nonino, a brand new tango work with music by Astor Piazzolla. Nunn and Trevitt are well-known for short films that pepper their performances, adding life and humor to the show and demystifying the art of ballet.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, July 17, Ballet Boyz artistic personnel participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.balletboyz.com.

T.P.O. (Teatro d’Piazza d’Occasione) at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, July 17 – 20

T.P.O. (Teatro d’Piazza d’Occasione), a visual theatre dance company from Tuscany, takes interactivity to a new level with two different programs, The Japanese Garden and The Painted Garden. Dancers perform on an elaborate, technologically sensored ‘carpet,’ and each body contact activates a new and different light, sound or image. Through narration and movement, this interactive program invites audiences, seated close to the action, to explore the relationship among dance, animated images, perception of space and the dynamics of childhood play.

* Tickets are $29; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts. Youth tickets are $10 for ALL performances.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on the Doris Duke Studio Theatre Porch 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Friday, July 18, artistic personnel from T.P.O. participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.tpo.it.

Jacob’s Pillow Community Day, Sunday, July 20

Jacob’s Pillow hosts its twelfth annual Community Day, with free performances, dance workshops, crafts, family friendly games and activities, giveaways, and an Archives bazaar with unique items. This event invites all ages to appreciate dance in many forms as the entire Pillow site becomes an “open campus,” in a community-wide celebration of dance.

Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, July 23 – 27

Called “one of the few bona fide visionaries in the ballet world today” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Alonzo King brings his aptly named company to the Pillow. The program includes Migration: The hierarchical migration of birds and mammals, a work that investigates awakenings of numerous varieties, with music by jazz innovator, Pharoah Sanders; and RASA, with music by the renowned tabla master Zakir Hussain, which premiered in November of 2007. After 25 years of dance-making, King continues to create work that takes the exacting rigor and beauty of classical ballet to an utterly contemporary place.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts. $10 Youth matinée tickets.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, July 24, LINES Ballet artistic personnel participate in a Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.linesballet.org.

Conny Janssen Danst at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, July 24 – 27

Conny Janssen Danst’s Rebound makes its East Coast premiere at the Pillow. This unusual and witty contemporary work explores what happens when six men are trapped by three, ten-foot tall padded white walls. As they interact, Janssen’s dancers are athletic, technically impressive, funny, and real, tackling intricate contemporary movement with the grace and precision of ballet dancers. Janssen creates a dance language that is supple, virtuosic and surprising, and has been recognized as an important artist in The Netherlands and throughout Europe.

* Tickets are $29; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts. $10 Youth matinée tickets.

* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on the Doris Duke Studio Theatre Porch 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Friday, July 25, artistic personnel from Conny Janssen Danst participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.connyjanssendanst.nl.

Mimulus at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, July 30 – August 3

After making its American debut at the Pillow in 2007, Mimulus, the Brazilian dance troupe whose vernacular is Latin social dance, returns by popular demand to the Ted Shawn Theatre. Described by The New York Times as offering “infectious wit and energy as well as intriguing dance invention,” Mimulus presents the U.S. premiere of Dolores. Inspired by the films of director Pedro Almodóvar, Dolores is a life-affirming work about absurdity, desire, elegance and kitsch, and life’s big and little pleasures and pains.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, July 31, Mimulus artistic personnel participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org.

David Michalek’s Slow Dancing at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, July 31 – August 3

The New York Times calls filmmaker and photographer David Michalek’s Slow Dancing “…an unforgettable dance-meets-film-technology evening.” Seen in the U.S. as a giant outdoor installation at the Lincoln Center Festival, Jacob’s Pillow presents an exclusive theatrical version of Slow Dancing, demonstrating the beauty of dance, dancers, and the body in motion. The dancers’ short movement phrases are captured at 1,000 frames per second in hyper-slow-motion video portraits and contrasted with live performances of the portraits, in real time. Jill Johnson of The Forsythe Company (William Forsythe, artistic director), and classical Indian dancer Shantala Shivalingappa are among the artists who appear live and on screen. The program includes commentary with Michalek and the artists on stage.

* Tickets are $29; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on the Doris Duke Studio Theatre Porch 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Friday, July 25, Slow Dancing artistic personnel participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.slowdancingfilms.com.

Stockholm 59° North at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, August 6 – 10

The dancers of Stockholm 59° North are soloists of the Royal Swedish Ballet, one of the oldest dance companies in the world, who created their own troupe in order to perform new and contemporary works, predominantly choreographed by Swedish dancemakers. Stockholm 59° North made its American debut at the Pillow in 1997, the company returns in a rare U.S. appearance with this exclusive program that includes the world premiere of Cicada by choreographer Christina Caprioli; The Apartment and Pointless Pastures, both by the iconic Mats Ek; and the powerful Castrati by Nacho Duato, of Spain.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, August 7, artistic personnel from Stockholm 59° North participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.stockholm59north.com.

Shantala Shivalingappa at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, August 7 – 10

The beauty of classical Indian dance and music in the quicksilver Kuchipudi tradition is embodied in Shantala Shivalingappa and her ensemble of master musicians. The Pillow presents Gamaka, a landscape of imagination, story-telling, dance and music in harmony. Shivalingappa’s talent is recognized by some of the greatest artists of her time, and she has performed with the likes of Peter Brook, Bartabas, Maurice Béjart, and Pina Bausch. The Village Voice comments, “she’s a wonder, accomplished in every aspect of this demanding form.”

* Tickets are $29; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts. $10 Youth matinée tickets.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on the Doris Duke Studio Theatre Porch 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Friday, August 8, artistic personnel from Shantala Shivalingappa’s ensemble participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.shantalashivalingappa.com.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, August 13 – 17

The grace and elegance of classical ballet coupled with a repertoire full of sharp new works makes Aspen Santa Fe Ballet one of the most eclectic contemporary ballet companies in the world today. Lauded by the Boston Herald as the “classically trained company of the future,” Aspen Santa Fe Ballet performs an exclusive East Coast program including Itzik Galili’s Chameleon with music by John Cage, William Forsythe’s Slingerland, and 1st Flash, by Jorma Elo.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts. $10 Youth matinée tickets.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Thursday, August 14, artistic personnel from Aspen Santa Fe Ballet participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.aspensantafeballet.com.

Kate Weare Company and Maureen Fleming at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, August 14 – 17

The Pillow presents two very different and unusual artists from New York City in this exclusive double bill. Dubbed “wonderfully ingenious” by The Village Voice, Kate Weare presents the world premiere of Bridge of Sighs, created at Jacob’s Pillow during a recent Creative Development Residency. A quartet for two women and two men, Bridge of Sighs looks at the instincts that drive people toward love.

Performance artist Maureen Fleming’s world of “surreal movement poetry” transforms how audiences think of the human body and its communicative power. The Baltimore Sun calls her, “part dance, part sculpture, and part dream.” Fleming’s program includes The Stairs, with a score by Phillip Glass, performed live by Peter Phillips, Dialogue of Self and Soul and Sphere. (This program includes partial nudity.)

* Tickets are $29; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on the Doris Duke Studio Theatre Porch 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Friday, August 15, Maureen Fleming and Kate Weare Company artistic personnel participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org, www.kateweare.com, or www.maureenfleming.com.

Special Benefit Event: A Jazz Happening at Jacob’s Pillow, August 17, 8pm

Chet Walker, who co-conceived the Tony Award-winning Fosse and serves as director of The School at Jacob’s Pillow’s Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program, brings a celebration of the art of Broadway jazz dance to the Pillow. This benefit for The School at Jacob’s Pillow showcases The School’s professional-level dancers performing side-by-side with renowned Broadway artists and faculty musicians. The event debuted in 2007 and was an instant sellout; this year’s performance features a brand new mix of stars and students, to be announced, and includes a reception with the artists. Tickets are $100.

Trey McIntyre Project at Jacob’s Pillow, Ted Shawn Theatre, August 20 – 24

Dubbed “one of ballet’s most surprising talents” by The New York Times, Trey McIntyre launches his full-time company with this engagement. With more than 70 ballets under his belt, and having brought his work to the Pillow’s Doris Duke Studio Theatre in 2005 and to the Ted Shawn Theatre in 2006, this au courant choreographer has decided to stake a permanent claim on the dance scene.

Formerly a temporary pick-up group, Trey McIntyre Project debuts as a fully employed company of performers with a program that includes a world premiere with music by renowned American folk artist, Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary. McIntyre’s winning, accessible ballets appeal to all audiences, from the dance connoisseur to the novice.

* Tickets are $58; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.*
* On Thursday, August 21, artistic personnel from Trey McIntyre Project participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.treymcintyre.com.

Keigwin + Company at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, August 21 – 24

Dancer, choreographer, director, and Bessie Award-winner Larry Keigwin has performed his way from Broadway to cabaret to the Metropolitan Opera. His works, called “wonderful choreographic whirlwinds” by The New York Times, strike a note at the intersection of entertainment and insight. Keigwin’s craftsmanship, versatility and wit are fully revealed with his own company, which performs Love Songs and other winning dances at Jacob’s Pillow this season.

* Tickets are $29; Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive discounts.
* Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on the Doris Duke Studio Theatre Porch 30 minutes before every performance.
* On Friday, August 22, artistic personnel from Keigwin + Company participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk directly following the evening performance.
* For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org or www.larrykeigwin.com.

All casts and programs are subject to change.

Jacob’s Pillow 2008 Ticketing Information

Subscriptions: Jacob’s Pillow subscribers receive early ordering and early renewal privileges, free ticket exchange (up to seven days prior to performance) and ticket discounts. New this season, the Pillow offers three subscription packages including a Full Season Subscription, in which subscribers are guaranteed the same seat for all ten shows in the Ted Shawn Theatre and/or all eight shows in the Doris Duke Studio Theatre, upon renewal; a Flex 5+ Subscription, in which subscribers create their own schedule choosing five or more performances, any day, any time; and a Youth Matinée Series, in which subscribers select five shows from designated matinée performances that may be more accessible for the whole family (recommended for children ages 8 – 16). Jacob’s Pillow Members receive earliest ordering privileges as member subscriptions go on sale beginning February 11. Non-member subscription begins March 3. Mail and fax pre-orders accepted now, Box Office live phone lines open March 3; Monday-Friday, 10am – 6pm, with additional hours during the Festival. Box Office: 413.243.0745 (phone) or 413.243.0749 (fax). For additional ticket policies, visit
www.jacobspillow.org.

Single Ticketing: Jacob’s Pillow Member single ticketing begins March 31. Single ticket ordering opens to the public on April 7. Specially priced $10 youth matinée tickets (recommended for children ages 8 – 16) are available for Saturday matinees of Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Conny Janssen Danst, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Shantala Shivalingappa, and all ten T.P.O. (Teatro d’Piazza d’Occasione) performances (matinée and evening). Mail and fax pre-orders accepted now, online orders begin April 7, Box Office phone lines open March 3; Monday-Friday, 10am – 6pm, with additional hours during the Festival. Box Office: 413.243.0745 (phone) or 413.243.0749 (fax). For additional ticket policies, visit
www.jacobspillow.org.

Additional Offerings:

Inside/Out Series: In addition to the more than 100 ticketed performances it presents each year, Jacob’s Pillow offers numerous other free activities and opportunities to enjoy dance. Of the more than 40 dance companies to be presented at Jacob’s Pillow in 2008, more than half can be seen performing on the Inside/Out Stage, a unique outdoor performance space nestled in the bucolic hills of the Berkshires, for free. The curated Inside/Out series includes previews of Doris Duke Studio Theatre artists, presentations of emerging dance companies from all over the world, and showings by the professional-track students of The School at Jacob’s Pillow, Wednesdays through Saturdays during the season. Performers to be announced.

Exhibits and Archives: Annual curated exhibits in four venues across the Pillow’s National Historic Landmark grounds display photographs, video, artifacts and other engaging visual material that enrich the visitor’s experience of dance. The Archives, documenting dance and Pillow history from 1894 to the present, welcome both the general public and artistic and scholarly researchers to view videos of recent performances or historic films from years past, browse dance or related art and history books, and use the interactive kiosk with linked video clips spanning the Festival’s history.

Talks: More than 140 enlightening and informative talks range from in-depth hour-long PillowTalks, to brief Pre-Show Talks to orient audiences to the performance they are about to attend, and Post-Show Talks with the artists just after they step offstage, providing varied opportunities to gain insight from dancers, choreographers, musicians, filmmakers, visual designers, historians and other experts.

Tours, Classes, and More: During the season, guided tours of the 163-acre campus leave from the Welcome Center every Friday and Saturday at 5:30pm, and patrons can pick up a self-guided tour map anytime to explore the grounds on their own. Ted Shawn hosted the first Jacob’s Pillow patrons in the historic Tea Garden, adjoining the studio where his Men Dancers performed. The Tea Garden still welcomes visitors today; they can enjoy seasonal plantings and watch artist rehearsals through the doors of the adjacent Bakalar Studio. Community dance, Pilates and yoga classes are offered Mondays – Fridays at 8am and are open to all experience levels (minimal class fee required). Master Classes with artists of the Doris Duke Studio Theatre are offered every Sunday for intermediate to advanced dancers. For Festival Dance Class information call 413.243.9919, x10. Patrons are also welcome to visit The School at Jacob’s Pillow and observe renowned artist faculty working with emerging professional dancers, either on a drop-in basis or pre-arranged for groups larger than four.

Dining: Jacob’s Pillow offers many dining options including the Pillow Café, a full-service open air restaurant on The Great Lawn; the Pillow Pub, offering casual fare, ready-to-go picnics, and a full bar; and the Coffee & Ice Cream Bar. Many local visitors will bring a picnic lunch or dinner from home and dine on The Great Lawn or while taking in a performance on the Inside/Out stage.

Stockbridge, MA – Berkshire Theatre Festival’s 2008 season schedule was announced by Artistic Director Kate Maguire at a press luncheon at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge on January 31.

“The 80th anniversary gives us the opportunity to celebrate some of the greatest writing of western theatre. Over the past dozen years, we have developed a company of remarkable artists. I am thrilled and confident that they have the talent and vision to take on these powerhouse plays,” said Ms. Maguire.

[mappress]

The season will open on June 20 with George Bernard Shaw’s Candida under the magic baton of director Anders Cato. The choice of play is a significant one. Eighty years ago was the inaugural season of this wonderful theatre in Stockbridge; that performance of Shaw’s play, was the first play of that season. Set in Victorian England, the plot revolves around the domestic turmoil that flares up when a sensitive young poet enters the lives of a socially liberal minister and his wife. Shaw delighted in raising turmoil and the issues he raises in the play still vibrate in our modern world. And Cato, who last summer gave us Mrs. Warren’s Profession will see to it that all the nuances in the script resonate.

For a change of pace, The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarias will follow. The plot centers, hilariously, on the popularity of book clubs, attended by people who read books, those who say they read books, and those who have intricate rules about the refreshments. It’s a fresh, young new play that opened last summer at the O’Neill Festival and promises a refreshing evening away from the world’s more significant woes.

As for the Unicorn, that little gem up the hill where a new parking lot is in the making, the season is as heady as that planned for the main stage.

Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker, with Jonathan Epstein and James Barry playing the sinister struggle for power between two brothers, will open on May 24. This play won Pinter a Nobel in Literature and is considered as a landmark in the development of 20th century theatre. The intimacy of the Unicorn should be perfect setting for it.

And following on its heels is one of the most important plays in the lifetime of many who will be in the audience. The play is Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot which opened in Paris in 1953. Beckett broke new theatrical ground, giving us vaudeville and farce interwoven with heartbreaking questions of existence, loss, and meaning. It is a play in which tramps hats get hilariously mixed up, and one in which a tramp’s painful boots are left waiting for other sore feet.

The play, first written in French was translated into English by Beckett himself. It concerns communicating what can’t be communicated. In this production director Anders Cato is in charge putting Beckett into capable and loving hands. Incidentally, Beckett too received a Nobel as did Shaw and Pinter. For a chance to see several of the greatest plays of the 20th century, the BTF seems to be the place to go.

The final play at the Unicorn is Eleanor:Her Secret Journey by Rhona Lerman, a one woman play opening on August 27th for a long run until Nov. 9th. The Eleanor is FDR’s wife. The content should prove interesting in this election year with the mantra of “change” ringing in everyone’s ears.

Berkshire Theatre Festival Main Stage performances are Monday through Saturday evenings at 8pm with 2pm matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays. Tickets range from $23 to $68.

Candida by George Bernard Shaw

Directed by Anders Cato
with Jayne Atkinson, Michel Gill, David Schramm, Samantha Soule, Jeremiah Wiggins, and Finn Wittrock
Previews: June 17, 18, 19
Opens: June 20 – Closes: July 5

The Main Stage opens with a revival of George Bernard Shaw’s fast-paced, thought-provoking 1894 comedy, Candida, which was first performed in Stockbridge 80 years ago during the Berkshire Playhouse’s inaugural season. Set in London’s East End during the Victorian era, Candida is about the domestic turmoil that ensues when a dashing and sensitive young poet comes between a socially progressive minister and his charismatic wife. Though the play revolves around a classic romantic triangle, the questions it raises about love, fidelity, and the imagination of the artist are as relevant today as ever.

The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarías

Directed by Nick Olcott
with Cherise Booth, Sarah Marshall, Keira Naughton, Bhavesh Patel, Tom Story, C.J. Wilson, and Anne Louise Zachry

Previews: July 8, 9, 10
Opens: July 11 – Closes: July 19

The Book Club Play is a sparkling new comedy about people who read books, people who say they read books, and people who prefer books to other people. The play examines the popular phenomena of book clubs: the intricate rules, the intricate friendships, and the intricate need for food. Hilarious and heartbreaking, it reveals the impact of literature on our lives and friendships.

A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt

Directed by Richard Corley
with Andrew Belcher, David Chandler, Tara Franklin, Douglas Friedman, Eric Hill, Walter Hudson, Greg Keller, Peter Kybart, Diane Prusha, James Lloyd Reynolds, Thom Rivera, Gareth Sax, Tommy Schrider, and Allison Vanouse
Previews: July 22, 23, 24
Opens: July 25 – Closes: August 9

Robert Bolt’s stirring drama, A Man for All Seasons, explores the uneasy interplay of church and state during the reign of King Henry VIII. The play is based on the true story of Sir Thomas More, a revered scholar, lawyer, and churchman, whose eloquence and endurance in the face of escalating threats to his beliefs and family make him one of modern drama’s greatest tragic heroes. The play won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1962 and went on to garner multiple Academy Awards when it was adapted to film in 1966.

Director Richard Corley says: “A Man for All Seasons is a deeply personal story that is also powerfully political. The soul of the play is Thomas More’s struggle to live an authentic life in a society that de-values human selfhood in favor of power. More is a hero for our time – and his epic story must be witnessed afresh as we move toward electing a new leader this coming fall. We all can learn so much from his journey to remain loyal to his inner voice and values, even to the point of losing everything else.”

Noël Coward in Two Keys by Sir Noël Coward

Directed by Vivian Matalon
Previews: August 12, 13, 14
Opens: August 15 – Closes: August 30

Noël Coward in Two Keys (1966) was British playwright Sir Noël Coward’s final stage work. It is composed of a pair of intriguing one-act comedies, Come into the Garden, Maud and A Song at Twilight, both of which are set in a Swiss hotel suite. Living life dishonestly takes its toll on Coward’s witty, sophisticated characters. Vivian Matalon directed the esteemed author himself in the work’s London premiere, as well as the 1974 Broadway version that featured BTF alums Thom Christopher, Hume Cronyn, and Jessica Tandy.

Unicorn Theatre

Berkshire Theatre Festival Unicorn performances are Monday through Saturday evenings at 8pm, with 2pm matinees on Saturdays for most shows. The opening and closing productions have slightly different schedules — please see details below. Prices range from $19.50 to $44.

The Caretaker by Harold Pinter

Directed by Eric Hill
with James Barry, Jonathan Epstein, and Tommy Schrider
Previews: May 22, 23
Opens: May 24 – Closes: June 28

Playing Thursday through Saturday at 8pm. In addition there will be 2pm matinees on May 25, June 1, June 8, June 21, and June 28; Monday through Wednesday performances at 8pm on June 16 – 18 and June 23 – 25. Note: No evening performance on June 21.

Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker is an enigmatic and sinister comedy about the struggle for power. The fragile relationship of two brothers, Aston and Mick, is turned upside down when Davies, a homeless man, enters their lives. Since its premiere in 1960, this play has been recognized as a landmark in 20th century drama.

Director Eric Hill comments: “I’m excited to examine the dramatic tension and mystery of Pinter – always a study in trying to get behind the words and underlying causes of the relationships.”

Pageant Play by Matthew Wilkas and Mark Setlock

World Premiere
Directed by Martha Banta
with Daiva Deupree, Jenn Harris, Mark Setlock, and Matthew Wilkas
Previews: July 1, 2, 3, 4
Opens: July 5 – Closes: July 26

Pageant Play is an outrageous new satiric comedy by actor-playwrights Matthew Wilkas and Mark Setlock about the twisted world of child pageants. Two ruthless stage mothers with rival pageant coaches go on a desperate quest to turn their daughters into beauty queens.

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Directed by Anders Cato
with David Adkins, Stephen DeRosa, Randy Harrison, David Schramm, and Cooper Stanton
Previews: July 29, 30, 31, August 1
Opens: August 2 – Closes: August 23

Samuel Beckett’s tragicomedy, Waiting for Godot, changed the course of modern theatre when it opened in Paris in 1953. The play is at once a vaudevillian farce and a heartrending expression of our very existence. Upon seeing the innovative production for the first time, playwright William Saroyan commented, “It will make it easier for me and everyone else to write freely in the theatre.”

Director Anders Cato remarks: “I was thrilled when Kate Maguire approached me about doing Waiting for Godot. To step inside Beckett’s world is, of course, very challenging. You have to step inside yourself and listen very closely. It’s a form of cleansing. Beckett’s rhythmical language helps block out all the distracting noise and clutter that we’re surrounded by, and guides you back to the essential. It is about communicating what can’t be communicated – something absolutely private and universal in the same moment.”

Eleanor: Her Secret Journey by Rhoda Lerman

Directed by Stephen Temperley
Previews: August 26
Opens: August 27 – Closes: November 9

Playing August 26 – 30, September 25 – 27, October 2 – 4, October 9 – 11, October 16 – 18, October 23 – 25, October 30 – November 1, and November 6 – 8 at 8pm. 2pm Matinees August 30, September 28, October 5, October 19, October 26, November 2, and November 9.

Eleanor: Her Secret Journey is a poignant and thoughtful one-woman play about Eleanor Roosevelt. This intimate portrait of the First Lady reveals her private struggles and offers a distinctly feminine look at politics, power, and war. She and her husband changed America forever. They lifted our society at a time when all appeared hopeless. It seems fitting to add her voice to the conversation during election season.

Theatre for Young Audiences

Note: The following productions are not part of the subscription series.

Hercules by E. Gray Simons III

Directed by E. Gray Simons III

June 25 – July 26 at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield

$7 children, $10 adult (discount for museum members)

For ticket information, call the Berkshire Museum at 413-443-7171

Playing Wednesday through Saturday 11am, with no show on July 4th

Stories of heroes have been told for as long as people could give voice to thought, but none has ever matched the excitement and inspiration of the Greek myth of Hercules. In this play, the hero undertakes twelve impossible tasks, including battling beastly boars and bulls, rerouting rivers, slaying multi-headed monsters, and traveling into the Underworld.

Around the World in 80 Days adapted by E. Gray Simons III from the Jules Verne novel

Directed by Amy Brentano

August 6 – August 23 at the Unicorn Theatre

Playing Monday through Saturday 11am

$7 child/student, $15 adult

Phileas Fogg (a very English gentleman) takes a bet that he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. The ensuing whirlwind escapade involves galloping horses, runaway trains, and a lumbering elephant, moving from sacred Hindu temples in Bombay to the American Wild West, and meeting Japanese acrobats, an Indian princess, and Mormon wives along the way, but will he beat the clock? Not if a relentless Scotland Yard detective has anything to say about it.

Oliver!

Book, Music and Lyrics by Lionel Bart Based on Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist

Directed by E. Gray Simons III

With a cast of children and adults drawn from the local Berkshire community

September 11– 13 at 7:30pm, with 2pm matinees on September 13 – 14 at the Main Stage

$10 students, $25 adults

Proceeds to benefit Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Berkshire County Educational Enrichment Initiative and BTF PLAYS!, Berkshire Theatre Festival’s Year-Round Education Program.

One of the favorite musicals of all time, Oliver! tells the rough and tumble tale of a sweet orphan boy who falls in with a gang of pickpockets in London’s underworld. This musical treat for the whole family features classics such as “Food, Glorious Food,” “I’d Do Anything,” and “Consider Yourself.”

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted by Eric Hill

Directed by Eric Hill and E. Gray Simons III

December 11 – December 30 at the Unicorn Theatre

Playing December 11 – 15, December 17 – 22, and December 26 – 30 at 7pm. There will be 2pm matinee performances on December 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, and 28. A 10am matinee will be held on December 18. There will be no performances on December 24 and 25.

$20 child/student, $36 – $39 adult

BTF’s third annual production of the classic story about the redemptive power of kindness and generosity.

Special Events

BTF 80th Birthday Party Celebration

Saturday, June 21

A festive Main Stage opening weekend celebration for BTF alumnae and friends, featuring pre-show dinners at private homes, pre-show cocktails and hors d’oeuvres under the Main Stage tent, and birthday cake and champagne after the performance, followed by dancing in the Paint Shop. Please call the Development Department for details: 413-298-5536 ext. 13.

BTF Community Festival Day

Friday, August 15th 11am – 3pm

On Community Festival Day, the BTF grounds will abound with actors, clowns, magicians, musicians, children’s games, and a kid-friendly auction. There will also be a costume shop tag sale, an 11am performance of Around the World in 80 Days, and a 2pm lecture about the history of BTF.

A Very Special Evening with Judy Kaye and David Green

Sunday, October 12th

This elegant evening will begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Unicorn Theatre. Husband and wife Judy Kaye and David Green will sing their favorite Broadway songs. BTF audiences will be familiar with Ms. Kay from her performance in Souvenir and with Mr. Green from last season’s Mornings at Seven. Dinner at Wheatleigh in Lenox will follow the performance. Please call the Development Department for details: 413-298-5536 ext. 13.

Tickets – New in 2008

Full-time Berkshire Residents receive half-price tickets to Saturday matinee performances during the subscription series. (Copy of local driver’s license or winter heating bill required.)

Half-price tickets are available to students to all regular performances during the subscription series. (Copy of high school or college ID required.)

Contact the BTF Box Office at 413-298-5536 ext. 33 or visit www.berkshiretheatre.org.

All plays, schedules, and prices are subject to change.

“Trumbo”, the Off-Broadway hit from 2003-04 theatre season, will be the opening production of the Barrington Stage Company’s 2008 season in Pittsfield. Julianne Boyd will direct Thom Christopher and Brian Hutchison in the story about Dalton Trumbo, the screenwriter who was one of the Hollywood Ten, the group of film professionals called to testify in 1947 before the House Un-American Activities Committee about communist subversion in the film industry.

He was convicted of Contempt of Congress for refusing to give information, served eleven months in prison and was blacklisted in the Hollywood film industry, where he had been a highly-paid and Oscar-nominated screenwriter. The press opening will be Saturday, February 16 at 8:00pm.

“Trumbo” brings the blacklist to life from the inside — focusing on what it was like to live in movie industry exile, and the wisdom gained in the aftermath, for one particularly fiery artist. Called “thrilling, ferocious, and hilarious” by The New York Times and “moving and evocative” by The New Yorker, this riveting Off-Broadway drama by playwright Christopher Trumbo is a homage to the playwright’s legendary screenwriter father, Dalton Trumbo, a spirited American who took on Congress, Hollywood, and a fearful nation…and won.

Legendary author of Spartacus, Roman Holiday, Exodus, Papillon, and Johnny Got his Gun, Dalton Trumbo was at the top of his game, when in 1947, he stood up to the House Un-American Activities Committee and was thrown into prison and blacklisted as one of the infamous “Hollywood Ten.” In a script born from his brilliant and razor-sharp letters to family, friends and former friends, “Trumbo,” is a fascinating, funny, yet chilling retelling of one man’s struggle to defend his freedom, his family and his livelihood during the McCarthy era.

Dalton Trumbo (1905-1976) wrote or co-wrote dozens of feature films, including Exodus, Spartacus, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, Kitty Foyle, Gun Crazy and Papillon. Using fronts and aliases, he won two Academy Awards while blacklisted: Roman Holiday and The Brave One. He wrote four novels, including the National Book Award-winning Johnny Got His Gun and the acclaimed stage play “The Biggest Thief in Town.” Trumbo’s work continues to inspire contemporary artists as diverse as Steven Spielberg (Always was a remake of Trumbo’s A Guy Named Joe) and Metallica (their Grammy-winning “One” was based on Johnny Got His Gun).

Christopher Trumbo (Playwright) has worked as a writer, primarily in the motion picture and television industries, for the last 35 years. He shared a writing credit with his father on the television film “Ishi: The Last of His Tribe,” completing the project after his father died. His most recent project is the motion picture script of “Sinatraland,” to be directed by Peter Bodanovich. He began working in motion pictures in 1960 as an assistant director on Otto Preminger’s production of “Exodus.” His screen adaptation of “TRUMBO” is scheduled for release in the spring.

Emmy Award-winning actor Thom Christopher returns to BSC following his acclaimed performance as Pablo Picasso in “A Picasso.” Daytime television viewers have seen him on “The Edge of Night,” “Guiding Light,” “Loving” (Emmy nomination) and especially “One Life to Live” (for which he won an Emmy Award). His Broadway credits include “Caesar and Cleopatra,” “Noel Coward in Two Keys” (Theatre World Award) and “Emperor Henry IV.” Off-Broadway credits include “Tamara – The Living Movie,” “The Changeling” at TFANA and “The Triumph of Love” at CSC. Regional credits include “King Lear” at Portland Center Stage, “Zorba” at Berkshire Theatre Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, North Shore Music Theatre, and the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Fans of Sci-Fi TV will remember Christopher for his performance as Hawk in “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.” Other television credits include “Law & Order,” “Murder She Wrote,” “TJ Hooker,” “Simon and Simon.” Brian Hutchison, who made his BSC debut in “Wonder of the World,” is currently starring in The Flea Theatre production of “Oh, the Humanity…and other exclamations” through February 2. Last summer he was in “The Front Page” at Williamstown Theater Festival. Broadway: “The Invention of Love” and “Proof.” Off-Broadway credits include “Mr. Marmalade” (Roundabout), “People Be Heard” (Playwrights Horizons), “Indoor/Outdoor” (Summer Play Festival, DR2 Theatre), “The Hiding Place” (Atlantic Theater), “Theophilus North” and “Can’t Let Go” (Keen Company), “She Stoops to Conquer” (Irish Rep), and “Seven Rabbits on a Pole” (Urban Stages). Recent regional theatre credits include “The Unmentionables” and “Black Snow” (both at Yale Rep), “Burn This” and “The Rivals” (Huntington Theatre), and “Role Play” (Pittsburgh Public). Old Globe: several productions including “All My Sons,” “Blue/Orange” and “The Hostage.” Film and TV credits include the upcoming “Ghostown,” “Dealbreaker” (Sundance 2006), and guest appearances on “Hope & Faith,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” and “Criminal Intent.” MFA Old Globe/USD.

“Trumbo” originally was presented Off-Broadway in the 2003-04 Season at the Westside Theatre in New York, directed by Peter Askin, and featuring a rotating cast of stars including Nathan Lane, F. Murray Abraham, Chris Cooper, Brian Dennehy, Richard Dreyfuss, Charles Durning, Christopher Lloyd, Robert Loggia, Roger Rees, and Gore Vidal.

Special Events “TRUMBO” ON THE ROAD! BSC will present “TRUMBO” for one night only at the Venable Theater, MCLA (North Adams) on Wednesday, February 20 at 7pm; tickets are $25.

JOIN US! Following the February 21 performance of “TRUMBO”, Alan Chartock President and CEO of WAMC Radio and noted Berkshire Eagle columnist, will host a post-show talkback.

“TRUMBO” is sponsored by SPICE Restaurant.

Barrington Stage Company is located at 30 Union Street, in Pittsfield. For tickets, call 413-236-8888 or purchase online at www.barringtonstageco.org.

“Trumbo” Performance schedule and ticket prices:

• Thursday, February 14, 7pm (preview) $15;
• Friday, February 15, 8pm (preview) $15;
• Saturday, February 16, 8pm (Press Opening) $25;
• Sunday, February 17, 3pm $25;
• Wednesday, February 20, 7pm, at MCLA’s Venable Theater, $25;
• Thursday, February 21, 7pm $25;
• Friday, February 22, 8pm $25;
• Saturday, February 16, 4pm $15;
• Saturday, February 23, 8pm $25;
• Sunday, February 24, 3pm $25.

$10 student (21 years and under) tickets available for all performances except Saturday evening.

Barrington Stage Company, a professional award-winning Equity theatre, located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA, was co-founded in 1995 by artistic director Julianne Boyd. BSC’s mission is three-fold: to present top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to find fresh, bold ways to bringing new audiences into the theatre. BSC garnered national attention with William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s Tony Award-winning musical hit “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” which began as a workshop at BSC in February, 2004, was produced in its world premiere to critical acclaim that summer season, prior to taking New York by storm at Second Stage Theatre and later transferring to Broadway’s Circle-in-the-Square Theatre where it finished an acclaimed run of over 1,100 performances. For more information, log on www.barringtonstageco.org.